10 Percent True - Tales from the Cockpit

Mattes Kries 10 Percent True EP81 Part 2Former Luftwaffe Tornado IDS pilot and weapons school instructor Mattes Kries returns to break down how a Cold War–era strike aircraft was pushed far beyond its original design. From low-level nuclear strike doctrine to medium-altitude workarounds, “dumb” HARM employment, Red Flag and Nellis weapons school, and the arrival of TAURUS, this episode explores how crews compensated for limited kit with tactics, maths, and judgement. It’s a rare, insider look at German Tornado operations, weapons school culture, and the real cost of keeping legacy jets relevant.0:00 intro teaser 1:35 welcome back Mattes2:55 recognition of the “different breed”6:30 The state of tactics in the prevailing atmosphere and “fooling” the weapons computer (the value of a good weatherman)18:25 shortcomings distilled19:31 targeting and low to medium altitude…..24:15 and then with GPS27:27 reversion mode targeting feasibility 29:28 a sense among crews that Luftwaffe is lagging behind peers?34:16 why?37:50 squadron re-roll43:30 flying rates? 47:15 competency levels as a result? 53:30 losses57:42 weapons school1:08:45 how to counter a 4-ship of Eagles1:10:40 electronic attack systems 1:13:10 BFM phase1:19:00 bomb in face and other survival tactics1:21:12 HARM 1:26:08 upgrades incl datalink and Marineflieger cross pollination 1:31:50 intelligence, access to information on other platforms?1:39:18 instructing at the weapons school and lessons in leadership1:47:20 TAURUS1:53:00 opinions on Ukraine - SCALP assessment?1:58:33 low level2:07:05 Thank you Mattes!

Mattes Kries | 10 Percent True | EP81 – Part 1

In this episode, Mattes Kries—a former Luftwaffe Tornado IDS pilot and weapons instructor—traces his career from a hard-won start in NATO jet training through frontline Tornado operations, weapons school, and senior tactics leadership. He explains how Germany’s Tornado force evolved from Cold War low-level nuclear strike toward conventional, medium-altitude employment; how lessons from U.S. and NATO exercises reshaped German tactics; and why culture, risk tolerance, and bureaucracy matter as much as hardware.

Along the way, Mattes offers rare, candid insight into weapons school innovation, COMAO command without Link 16, live weapons integration, and the realities of training for combat in a force defined by safety-first constraints—grounded in vivid anecdotes and hard-earned lessons.

Timestamps

00:00 – The Greek instructor teaser
01:58 – Welcome Mattes & Phil’s subscriber questions: inspiration and most exhilarating mission
12:05 – Matthew’s subscriber question: history and pride in the modern Luftwaffe
23:40 – Attachment to the past among today’s Luftwaffe personnel
29:10 – Starting out in the Luftwaffe
34:02 – F-4 ambitions—and why fate had other (good) ideas
41:28 – T-37 challenges (and the Greek instructor)
49:00 – Turning early struggles into long-term success
51:15 – Arrival on the Tornado at Büchel
56:40 – Tornado IDS: roles, weapons, and mission sets
1:05:35 – SIOP and nuclear strike planning
1:10:40 – The MW-1 weapon system
1:20:19 – Why the MW-1 was never fitted for training—and the power of German accountants
1:29:30 – Staying on the boom: tanker planning as a weapons school student
1:35:08 – Avoiding the KC-135 by design?
1:36:35 – Responding to Starbaby’s criticism of ECR capabilities vs decision-maker mindset
1:54:25 – Part 2 incoming

Super Harris 10 Percent True EP80 P1In Part Two of this conversation, retired USAF Major General “Super” Harris moves from diagnosis to consequence, explaining how the erosion of developmental testing has already led to real-world accidents, wasted lives, and broken programmes. Drawing on his role as Air Force Test Center Commander, Harris dissects the Light Attack experiment, the fatal risks of mixing developmental and operational test, and why “test is test” is a dangerous fallacy. He contrasts government cost-plus failures with SpaceX’s self-funded test-to-failure model, explains how data—not rhetoric—keeps aircrew alive, and offers blunt assessments of programmes like KC-46, T-7, F-35, and the emerging F-47. The episode ends with a sober warning: great powers don’t usually fall from enemy action alone—they hollow themselves out by accepting broken systems as normal.0:00 intro teaser SpaceX failure a success2:55 welcome back Super and episode roadmap5:24 Revisiting the Light Attack “experiment” (See Starbaby Light Attack episode) the dangers of combined OT/DT 33:00 “Costs Plus” contracts (Starliner debacle vs SpaceX “successful failure”)41:40 IRAD (internal research and development) Holloman range story59:20 Minimum Viable Product - how “finished” does it have to be to commence DT1:02:11 the issue with in house testing 1:05:10 go have a banana? 😅1:05:35 bearing in mind the tribulations with T-7 & KC-46 - are all current programs similarly afflicted?1:15:04 tension between DT and OT?consequences thereof? 1:28:33 resigning from TPS1:42:10 light at the end of the tunnel?1:43:15 smaller company innovation - resistance to buyout? 1:46:50 government approach?1:49:35 the one guy in the marching band who is in step!1:51:50 briefly on F-351:54:50 Airbus Tankers/Foreign competition?1:59:40 F-47?2:08:25 Thanks Super, (please come back)

Super Harris 10 Percent True EP80 P1In this wide-ranging and unvarnished conversation, retired USAF two-star General “Super” Harris explains how U.S. military acquisition and flight-test culture has changed since the end of the Cold War—and why he believes those changes are dangerous. Drawing on decades as an electronic warfare officer, developmental tester, squadron commander, and instructor at Test Pilot School, Harris lays out a four-stage framework charting the consolidation of defence contractors, the erosion of developmental and operational testing, the rise of concurrency, and today’s push toward “DevOps at the front line.” Using real examples—from the F-22’s infamous International Date Line failure to bomber weapons integration and modern naval systems—he argues that skipping test and accepting immature systems risks lives, credibility, and deterrence itself. It’s a candid, insider warning about how great powers lose their edge, and why testing still matters0:00 Support the channel0:37 Intro teaser4:09 Welcome back Super – framing the episode – Developmental/Operational testing today11:36 The Military Industrial Complex and Eisenhower’s mic drop15:42 the F-111 gone so EF-111 suffers by association – TPS graduate with nowhere to go! So B-1……23:57 black hats and white hats25:55 B-1 qualled but only there to “put the new thing on”28:12 SQN CDR highlights29:17 80 bomb load DT Graduation story (smiley face)34:21 flying a B-52 mission while watching Dr Strangelove39:22 win big – bad things happen….40:43 a litany of stupid (not all innovation is good)44:52 “the last supper” and its fallout (consolidation of corporations/contractors)50:07 the 4 stages (preview of coming attractions – intro teaser)58:22 who is “Col Nicholson”? – when ethics slide1:03:27 the right reasons….1:08:27 “acquisition reform” is not the problem1:14:52 FORD class failures – tail wags the dog – “the testers are the problem”1:20:04 Raptors, Deficiency Reports and across the date line to Kadena1:35:07 4Stars “wanting it so bad” (why hasn’t Steve seen A Christmas Story!)1:41:07 the “last” last question – the solution?1:46:57 previewing next episode

Get Mike's book: https://amzn.eu/d/b2lcwQtGet ad-free, early access to new 10 Percent True videos: https://www.10percenttrue.com/pricing-plans/listPig Penn, 10 Percent True Episode 79.In this extraordinary episode of 10 Percent True, Mike “Pig” Penn—US Navy A-7 Corsair II pilot, Iron Hand aviator, and Vietnam POW—walks through a life defined by combat, captivity, survival, and purpose. Pig recounts flying alpha strikes and Iron Hand missions over North Vietnam, dodging SAMs at night, being shot down near Hanoi in 1972, and surviving an ejection, capture, and eight months inside the Hanoi Hilton. He describes the brutal realities of captivity, the tap code, the psychological battle to retain hope, and the moment B-52 strikes signalled that the war—and his imprisonment—was nearing its end. The conversation then shifts to Pig’s post-war life: returning to flight, confronting PTSD and alcoholism, and ultimately finding a new mission—helping others survive their darkest moments. It’s a raw, unfiltered account of air combat, resilience, and why hope is not abstract, but essential to survival.0:33 intro teaser1:20 welcome “Pig” 2:55 ama question from Sedlo regarding Alpha Strikes6:18 Route to Naval Aviation and background 9:07 Training pipeline and experiences11:23 Buckeye at the boat14:50 Hope and Courage15:55 the reality of landing in the boat, scary, exhilarating?18:40 going into combat knowing a night trap awaits afterwards 20:33 The SLUF24:37 SAMS and dodging them30:37 Iron Hand32:53 finding SAMs and target prosecution by Shrike39:13 validating success? BDA? 40:33 any tactic change through experience - when iron hand turns into RESCAP43:08 psychological load? 45:08 shootdown49:21 on the ground and to the Hanoi Hilton53:23 cheating death54:03 coming to terms with initial stages of the ordeal56:33 any preconceptions/intel on the “Hilton” before arriving 58:23 initial phase at the Hilton1:02:33 Heartbreak hotel, making (unexpected) acquaintances, eventually starting to eat1:07:43 low down via tap code before leaving solitary and meeting fellow POWs1:10:19 why group you together?1:11:45 information flow, long sideburns and air raid drills preface December 18th (Linebacker II)1:19:53 mindgames and release order hang ups 1:21:58 release day story1:26:50 3 days in Clark and learning to sleep in a bed again1:28:06 to Travis AFB and reuniting with family and friends1:29:11 resentment? Return?1:32:17 flight gear on display in Hanoi1:32:43 what comes next? Returning to normality? Coming full circle on an incredible story. 1:35:58 F-4 orders turn sour so back to Lemoore and the A-7 RAG1:38:38 getting out and into Continental 1:38:45 meeting Kissinger 1:40:06 psychological and emotional journey and the genesis of the book - Hope and Courage1:47:48 meeting Marcus Luttrel and guesting on his podcast1:51:44 how to find Pig on tour/find out more1:53:03 philosophising on the experiences1:55:17 Share this please